The CW's New DC Superteam Show - 20 Characters To Choose From

Comics to Cathodes

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In late February, reports began circulating that the CW is eyeing a third superhero show - one that would feature team-ups between characters who have guest-starred in Arrow and Flash, along with three significant DC "characters" who have never appeared in live-action TV before. So we started thinking - which characters could fit the bill?

It's not as easy as you'd think. Arrow and The Flash are just the latest in a long line of DC TV shows, going back to Adam West's Batman and Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman, to Birds of Prey, Smallville and the oft-forgotten Legends of the Superheroes just to name a few. Animated shows are out of consideration, as are pilots never officially aired.

With that in mind, We began researching which characters haven't been on live-action TV yet, coming up with a pretty significant list of choices.

Since there are way more than ten characters who are prominent enough to draw that kind of buzz, we're expanding it for a top 20 - the first half of which, #11 to #20, coming today, and ten more coming tomorrow!

Fourth World Characters

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As tough as it is to imagine the DC Universe without Jack Kirby's New Gods, it's even tougher to picture exactly how they would work on a television show like Arrow or Flash.

That being said, wouldn't it be interesting to see them try?

But, between the New Gods themselves, and connected characters such as Kamandi and Intergang, there's more than enough Fourth World mythology to serve as major plot thread through a weekly network series.
Maybe the Fourth World can be to the Flash/Arrow-verse what the Inhumans are becoming to Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D..

Lobo

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The Main Man is a little bit - how can we put this delicately - vulgar for mainstream television, with his lust for violence and carnage knowing no bounds.

But with a newer, sleeker Lobo supplanting the hardcore anti-hero of the old DCU, he could make for a compelling character with just a few minor tweaks.

Our course that would open up the CW's DCU-verse to cosmic characters, and they may not be ready to go there yet, but it's hard not to include Lobo when compiling a list of major DC characters that have never been on TV.

The Question

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Even though the newer Question, Renee Montoya, has appeared on Fox's Gotham, she's yet to take on the mantle of DC's faceless vigilante.

On top of that, the original Question, Vic Sage, hasn't even appeared on TV in his alter ego just yet, making him a perfect candidate for a breakout character that seems to be right in the wheelhouse of the CW and Warner Bros.'s grounded but still "super" series.

The Phantom Stranger

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The Phantom Stranger's history in the DCU is long and mysterious - suitable for a guy with a name like "Phantom Stranger."

While he often appears at moments of supernatural significance, making him a better fit for a spot on Constantine, the Phantom Stranger long and storied career puts him on the shortlist of major DC characters that have never been on TV shows.

Adam Strange

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Like Lobo, if the CW is ready to reach for the stars (so to speak), Adam Strange has got to be a serious candidate.

As an Earthling he might even make the introduction cosmic-based mythology a little bit easier to swallow for the comic book TV universe than began with the very grounded Arrow.

Deadman

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Even though Boston Brand has yet to appear on television, it's certainly not for lack of trying. Several years ago, Supernatural creator Eric Kripke was reportedly in talks to adapt Deadman for the CW.

But since that fell through, Deadman has remained, well, dead on television. Of course, all that could change, as Deadman's body-switching gimmick seems like a natural fit for an episodic adventure series.

Teen Titans

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While some of the Teen Titans like Bart Allen and Cyborg appeared on Smallville, there are still plenty more who have yet to show up on TV. Of course, a few of them will be getting their due when Titans premieres on TNT, with a reported line-up of Robin, Starfire, Raven, Oracle, Hawk, and Dove.

But that still leaves stalwarts like Beast Boy, Terra and others fair game - Titans or not.

The Midnighter

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Batman is big business - what if DC told the CW they had someone who could in many ways out-Batman Batman?

Think the Midnighter.

Although the WildStorm universe is long gone, DC have showed continued interest in this former Authority member with appearances in various series like Stormwatch and Grayson, and he's getting his own series post-Convergence. Why not loop him into DC's burgeoning TV universe? His powers are easy to film, he's got personality that'd make any actor want to play him, and he has an interesting backstory that could be explored.

And if not the Midnighter, perhaps another one of of the WildStorm era heroes?

Hawkgirl

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Even though Hawkman has appeared on live-action TV a couple times - notably on Smallville, and alongside his mom, "Esther Hol," in the dismal Legends of the Superheroes special, his better half Hawkgirl has never made it to the screen.

With several versions to choose from, there's sure to be a version of Hawkgirl that appeals to viewers of DC's TV output, especially considering her prominent role in the Justice League animated series.

Maxwell Lord

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When you consider his time bankrolling the Justice League International, or corrupting Checkmate with his vicious mind control powers, there are a lot of directions Maxwell Lord could take on TV - especially in a recurring role.

Lord could function as a kind of superhero hiring agent, sending characters out on missions in unlikely team-ups (which works on a superteam show), or even as an overarching villain, a threat too great for any single hero to withstand.